Box Score

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – UC Irvine, who was led by Victoria Dennis' career-high 22 kills, battled back to force a fifth set, but ran out of gas as Marquette won the match 3-2 (23-25, 25-18, 25-22, 17-25, 15-11 ) at the Baden Invitational held at the Galen Center.

After winning the first set, UCI (0-2) struggled offensively hitting just .048 (24-20-84) over the next two games. An energized UCI squad took the fourth, but hit -.130 (5-8-23) in the fifth.

UCI senior outside hitter Victoria Dennis led all players with 22 kills, tying her career best.  Sophomore Harlee Kekauoha recorded a triple double with 15 kills, 19 assists and 14 digs. Freshman Loryn Carter added nine kills, while sophomore Haley DeSales added five kills and 15 digs. Libero Luna Tsujimoto scooped up 20 digs and setter Ali Koumelis totaled 23 set assists and 18 digs.

Taylor Louis paced Marquette (2-0) with 14 kills, seven digs and five total blocks, while Jenna Rosenthal had eight kills and seven total blocks and Madeline Moser also posted eight kills in the win.

The teams traded points for most of the first set until back-to-back kills by Victoria Dennis and an ace by Danielle Geiger gave UCI a 19-17 cushion. UCI's Harlee Kekauoha pounded a kill on an overpass to make the score 22-20, but Marquette would score the next two, the last a block, to tie the set at 22-22. Following a UCI timeout, Haley DeSales had a kill off the block followed by a kill by Kekauoha deep in the left corner for set point, 24-22. After a UCI attack error, a Marquette service error gave UCI the 25-23 win.

Marquette started with a 3-0 lead and built a 14-7 advantage in the second set. A pair of kills by Dennis and a Golden Eagle attack error narrowed the deficit to 14-10. UCI closed within 18-15 on a DeSales kill, but the Anteaters could get no closer as Marquette won the set 25-18. Neither team hit very well in the set as UCI hit .050 (14-12-40) and the Golden Eagles were at .167 (7-3-24) mark.

In the third set, UCI jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead on the strength on two aces by Dennis and one by Ali Koumelis. Good serving was key for Marquette to get back in the set as they had two aces in a run to take their first lead, 12-11. A 4-1 run by the Golden Eagles extended their lead to 16-12 as they would win the set 25-22.

A 5-0 run for UCI gave the Anteaters a 10-3 lead then a 6-0 run, which was capped by a block by DeSales and Geiger, extended the margin to 16-6.  Marquette chipped away to 22-17, but UCI was able to hold off the Golden Eagles and force a fifth set, 25-17.

A sloppy start for the Anteaters combined with three Golden Eagle blocks gave Marquette a 7-3 advantage in the final stanza. UCI was never able to get the offense going, falling 15-11.

UCI returns to action later tonight as they battle No. 7 USC at 8:00 p.m. The match will be televised on the Pac-12 Network.

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